On Life's Poetry of Cliches - A Christmas Reflection

Yesterday I’ve learned that life is neither good nor bad

It is up for us to make the most of our full potential and capabilities

It is the only way beyond explanation to understand life itself

So the challenges are really big and yet another thing possible to achieve

It would have been right to say that whatever life brings and showers us

We should not abandon it despite its struggles and serious failures

We must have to take all steps to lift us up and to see the means and ways

On how we are going to live our lives according to our vision and plans

Pushing boundaries with a great mental positive attitude to reach them

 And if clearly our goals are not materialising as we wanted them to be

Then we are bound to set ourselves and welcome the changes for good

And never to stop trying hard again to look for every given chance out there

Creating a grand future in everything possible within our humane might

Whilst pulling up ourselves unbroken, unwavering, and unhappy.

Today I’ve learned more that actually life is cheesy, light, and fun

And the best way to outwit it, is to learn to trust that it is not all down to us

Which means we have just to embrace life’s heritage particularly our own

We owe it to ourselves, to our dear parents and who else but to Him

 This given life is one opportunity, a precious gift to treasure and to keep

And to appreciate and celebrate, unmindful of every clichés attached to it

This coming Christmas season let us be grateful of the birth of our Lord

And not to forget to complement ours and others with special care and love

Enjoy, do not worry, and bear in mind life will take care of its own mysteries.

Merry Christmas!

This poem was inspired by the most amazing fairytale life story of one of my best friends. To you my dearest friend, Celia Ledford, whose zest and unwavering faith to life brought you to where you are now. Congratulations and enjoy your fabulous existence!

Last but not least this is lovingly dedicated to my love ones, friends, and colleagues and most especially to our residents at T.O.P. To a Happy Christmas!

Author: Jocelyn Pedrola

Where Dreams Come True

Holding my head high and landing down my feet
A greener fence I found and wondered what’s out there
Dressed in white and nightingale on my side
The candle burning and a different life began
Homage starts and love for duty sits on a rocking chair
When beauty fades and senses dull and dark
A wrinkling hand reaching out for compassion and love
Devoid of strength and energy of youth
A sudden shiver of fear and uncertainty I felt
With tears like pearls down my cheeks, an old woman I saw
Not in white but in a shaded blue
I watched intently as if like watching a film
The old woman looking fragile figuring her way around
She thought she knew the place and could smell that familiar air
Then a warm and caring hand held her thoughts away
And I could hear someone saying, you’ll be fine, Ms. Jo
How wonderful life’s mystery is
Round in circles tears and laughter may come
Yet one will certainly receives what one gives
So deep in my thoughts that I forgot, my resident was waiting for me
Holding her hand, I walked her down the corridor of our found ‘home’.
A home where love and care are felt everywhere
Home to my vocation and home to my resident
A place where dreams of the souls come true
Bless this country for its diversity
Bless this ‘home’ for its great deed of honour.

White Cherry Blossoms

It was a gloomy day today but then I thought

From our window this white cherry tree brought

An untarnished beauty of nature’s growth

Against the cloudy wind round its petals sought

That inspired my poetic sense of admiration as I looked

I hope you’ll like this humble poem for you I wrote.

 

New Year's Resolution: A New Attitude

So much has had happened in the past year that all I want to do is to create another new year’s resolution without looking back at the ones that I haven’t done at all except of course, I know that I have been eating a lot. I love my comfort snacks, more on the savoury side. For example I am munching one of my favs ‘Old El Paso’ original nachos which I bought from Tescos while I am writing this. I don’t have to sit down in a Mexican restaurant to eat a good one. I have a knack at creating my own topping and I tell you if you seldom drink coke, this is the best combination snack apart from pizza.

My own interpretation of a new year’s resolution is a short one; it is simply a new promise to oneself to become a happier or a better person. Literally simple I must admit but why have I not done it. Is it because when I make a new year’s resolution; I knew I made a promise to myself so if I break this promise no one would know. Whatever I have promised to myself there is no pressure of embarrassment if I fail to do it. I can justify to myself it’s alright I’ll do it next year, there is plenty of time. Or it’s alright that person will never know that I had to be nice to her, or it’s alright my boss does not expect me to do more than what I am doing already, or it’s alright to postpone my dream holiday because the money had helped my love one or went to a good cause, etc. Anyway this is only for me and my self satisfaction.

 Exactly the point I want to make, I keep going and doing other things except for the things that I really want to do thinking that there will be another new year next year.

Since I was young I have pictured myself dining and wining in one of the romantic restaurants in Venice with the love of my life. My figure was just right and I was wearing a simple, sleeveless, long flowing lacy dress feeling pretty and ecstatic. Totally, simple and absurd to others but I would like to do that to satisfy my feminine world. I am not adventurous or a traveller by nature. Let us just say that I prefer using my own bathroom or toilet than Hilton’s for example but in Venice I wouldn’t mind.

Over my mature years - years that I have started to what you call earn a decent income; I have never exceeded spending more than what is basic or to lavish myself.

My partner’s question every year is, are we going to Venice this year and my usual answer is, "Let me think about it". "Well in fact we don’t have to go out of the country to enjoy and it’s so hard to pack, I have to bring a number of shoes for a number of dresses, I have not achieved my ideal weight yet and the number of mishaps in the news of travelling frightens me, etc.".

How much time and money will it take me to fulfil that childhood romance in my mind, not so much but it never happens because very quickly when the subject comes up my rational head will remind me that there are more productive things that I could do with that money and with that time.

Right at our fingertips there are so many ways to fulfil our new year’s resolution especially the ones that we would like to do for ourselves. Would you agree? Well if you do, do it then and have a new one next year. Don’t pile them up like me.

Here’s my new year’s resolution. No more excuses and get that right figure for that long flowing lacy dress. Johnny Depp here I come, oh my, please excuse me, I am dreaming. Have you watched that movie, “The Tourist”. You better do. To our new year's resolution...Cheers!